Our last blog post was about what you should do while sheltering in place. Now, as we reach May, many of us are still inside and will be for the foreseeable future, even as some businesses attempt to reopen. As you continue to try to stay safe, healthy, and happy during this pandemic, we wanted to share some of our favorite online solutions for retaining your sanity.
We understand that, with you, your partner, and your kids all home at the same time all day, things can get a little tense. These helpful online resources will hopefully give you ways to decompress both individually and as a team, and hey, you might even learn a little something!
Express Yourself
There are tons of resources online for those learning to draw. You can print paint by numbers out from a variety of websites, or visit YouTube to find instructional videos. For children, author Mo Willems actually hosts a drawing session every day at noon, central time, as part of his residency. Kids can follow along and have fun learning to draw various pictures.
Musical Instruments
While we encourage prudent financial planning (so don’t go buying a $300 guitar or something), if you’ve got any sort of musical instrument around the house, now could be a great time to learn. As an apartment complex, we advise you to do so respectfully and quietly, at the right hours. But other than that, thanks to the internet, learning to play guitar, piano, and more is simpler than ever.
Just Google “how to play” and the name of the song you’re interested in and you’re already halfway there. For people looking to learn the basics, there are tons of channels on YouTube that can help you with everything from basic chords to complex scales.
School, But Fun!
Virtual school for your kids can be tiresome, we know. Once the school day is over, it can be tempting to just throw on a TV show or movie so they can relax quietly while you prepare dinner, do household chores, or sit down with a glass of wine. Instead, look for resources on screens that will occupy your kids while continuing to educate them in unique ways, about subjects they love.
For example, The Dr. Is In on YouTube has fun episodes about dinosaurs and plenty of other fun topics, and is hosted by Dr. Hans Sues, the Smithsonian curator of vertebrate paleontology. There are plenty of other fun, educational shows, and a little bit of research goes a long way.
Virtual Tours
From museums to parks, there are plenty of places we’d all like to visit but won’t be able to for even longer, as they’re at greater risk for contamination by the virus. Anywhere that usually harbors large crowds or frequent foot traffic is off-limits for some time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them.
Many of the most popular museums and national parks in the world and country have created virtual tours in light of these events. Explore the Louvre, the Guggenheim, or the Smithsonian, all from the comfort of your couch. While it can’t match the real experience, it’s nice to be able to see beautiful art and views of the Grand Canyon while relaxing with some popcorn, we have to admit.
Good Hobbies
While it’s important not to push yourself and make sure to prioritize your mental health during this strange season, if you’re up to it, there are plenty of positive ways to spend your time, and the internet can help. From learning to cook via recipes on trusted websites like the New York Times Cooking or Bon Appetit, to improving your physical fitness by joining the (temporarily free) Nike Training Club, there’s a ton to do, even when you have nothing to do.
For Adults and Children
In our recent blog post, we talked about keeping your brain healthy. This is applicable for adults and children, though if your kids are spending all day doing online school, chances are they have had enough boring learning once their day ends. But if you’re looking to keep their minds active, there are still plenty of ways to do so in fun, engaging ways. For example, they can play online board games like chess or checkers, or play math and science games on sites like Legends of Learning.
For yourself, we recommend apps such as Duolingo, offering free language learning each and every day, as well as games such as sudoku or crossword puzzles. Reading a book is one of the best activities for the brain, but that’s not always an option, and sometimes it can get tiresome. Playing games like these can help instead!
Getting Through It
Above all, your priority is to stay safe and healthy, so that when this thing ends or begins to calm down, your family comes out of it the best they possibly can. For more information about how to protect yourself, visit the CDC’s official website. To learn how we’re keeping our residents safe, contact us today.
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